


Corridors

by lolodeu



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Cannon Divergent, Dream Smp, Friendship, Gen, Horror, Lmanburg, Mystery, Swearing, Tags will be updated, Thriller, lore based
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 10:40:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29508432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lolodeu/pseuds/lolodeu
Summary: On his way back from a regular journey, Karl finds himself flung into a utopia called the in-between. It promises comfort and safety to him, and he’s eager to solve the mystery of his memory and deterioration. Everything is provided for, paths are laid at his feet, and the scenery is stunning. It's utterly perfect. or is it?
Relationships: Karl Jacobs & Ranboo, Karl Jacobs & Sapnap
Kudos: 5





	Corridors

He was falling again. At first, it had been utterly terrifying. He had panicked as the scorching sensation rose from his chest to his throat, choking him as he tried to scream. Attempts to thrash around resulted in a paralyzing pressure exerted onto his body. As the wind painfully whipped the hair at his face a deafening ringing began in his ears, sending painful throbs through his head as he repressed the urge to vomit. That has been at first though. 

Now, he was used to it, after his travels he readily accepted the crushing embrace of the abyss and let himself plummet into the endless darkness below him. It still hurt, yes, but he had come to learn long ago that any effort to resist was met with harsh retaliation. Now, his lungs only flirted with the burning feeling, and the constricting force around him relinquished part of its hold allowing him enough room to breathe shallowly and twitch his limbs ever so slightly.

He forced his eyes shut and allowed his mind to shift to his destination. He could picture the portal, nestled in the shallow ravine, damp with moss and mushrooms. He could feel the rickety wooden ladder, with its warped and rotting wood that crept its way up to the library. His Library. The musty scent of books and papers brushed lightly against his nose, and he could almost see them stacked into their great mountains and tiny hills, all covered with a friendly coating of dust. He could hear the creak of the wood underneath him, groaning slightly to support his weight. The air there hung with a sense of safety and familiarity. Though it was far from perfect, it was home. Karl sighed contently, expectantly waiting for the wind to calm and force to lift as he returned to the SMP. 

Any second now, he reasoned with himself, wrenching his eyes shut even more, though a brewing feeling in the pit of his stomach told him differently. As he continued to fall, the feeling only grew, and his thoughts pleaded with him to listen. Suddenly his surroundings were flooded with a blinding light, that seeped through his eyelids as though he had never closed them. A thunderous crash interchanged itself with the ringing in his ears. With a painful smack, he found himself splayed out on the solid ground, knocking the wind out of him and leaving him gasping for breath. Small dots flooded his vision as he coughed, mustering just enough energy to mutter a small “crap” before his head lolled to the side as darkness bled in. 

He woke up in a sweat, body stinging in contrast to the chilled floor beneath him. He launched himself stiffly off the ground, gasping to regain the breaths that had been previously stolen from him. One hand clutched his chest, bunching up the fabric of his damp sweater while the other rubbed his forehead in an attempt to dispel the agonizing pain that clouded his senses. 

“What the heck was that,” he asked, giving himself a quick once over to make sure nothing was broken. He duly noted the bruise covering his left hand and winced at the dull ache in his chest. Though it hurt he found nothing worth particular concern. Exhaling in relief, he took a few deep breaths and decided to try and get a bearing of his surroundings. 

“Hello?” he called. “Anyone there? Anyone?” The only voice he was met with was his own. 

One hand still on his temple, he turned his focus to the vast chamber in front of him. A steep staircase led into the expansive room. The marble floors reflected the gently flickering light of the lanterns hanging above. Well not really hanging Karl realized, as his head cocked to the side slightly to get a better view. They more so floated against the wall, the distance slight but still noticeable. Huh. Dotting the sides of the bare room were ridged pillars there for nothing more than their simple role of supporting the curved ceiling above. In the center of the room stood a pedestal with an unassuming journal and a single rose perched on top of it. 

Curious but still hesitant, Karl wandered into the room slowly, careful of the drops between each step. His footsteps echoed as he descended, whispering a notice to the rest of the castle that a guest had arrived. Karl continued forward, minuscule compared to the towering pillars before him until he reached the solitude podium. His fingers brushed the leather of the book gingerly. “What’s this?” he wondered as he flipped open the cover and began to read.

This is the in-between.

A world you’ve been to a few times now. 

Karl furrowed his brows. “I think I’d remember if I’d been here before” 

It’s time to comprehend more of what is happening to you, Karl. 

The in-between acts as your gateway for traveling in time. It isn’t a dimension you’re familiar with, but in some senses, it’s a home away from home. 

He hummed in acknowledgment and continued to read.

The key to you grasping more of an understanding of your time traveling abilities lay within this gorgeous castle you will soon traverse. 

He paused on the next line, drinking in its promise. 

Fear not, this is not a place to provoke harm, but a place to feel at ease. 

He shut the book gently, allowing his gaze to shift to the rose that sat before him. It was an odd plant, and he had only seen one once before. On a rainy evening when he had visited Ranboo’s house to collect some books the boy said he no longer required. It sat alone on his desk, but Karl hadn’t paid much notice, mind occupied on the various novels his friend had set in front of him. Now though, he took the opportunity to study it. The petals were slightly tattered with age, the edges a light gray. The stem was rough and hardened, dedicated to holding up the delicate bulb. Karl longed to touch it but drew his hand back, fearing as little as a stray breath could disrupt the rose. 

A movement caught him from the corner of his vision and he drew his head up, enough to see a ghostly figure move across the hall parallel to him, oblivious to his presence. They were draped in silky white cloth, features completely indiscernible aside from the gentle outline of a head. The lengths of fabric cascaded down in rivers and pooled softly on the floor. A gentle aura seemed to radiate off them, casting a light pale glow. Anywhere else the shine could have been easily mistaken for a stray sunbeam or reflection, but in the dimly lit chamber, the unearthly glow was abundantly clear. Their feet, if they had any, were not bound to the earth, as they drifted across the floor. Karl froze as he observed with awe, struck by their heavenly appearance. They continued into a corridor and out of sight. Snapped back to reality, Karl shook his head and started after the mysterious figure. 

“Hey! Wait up” He called, and jogged after them through the hall, struggling to keep pace. “My name’s Karl, Karl Jacobs. I-I don’t know how I got here...stop, please!” No matter how fast he ran, the figure seemed to be just out of reach. He gave up and watched as they continued on their path unaffected by his efforts.“Fine then, be that way! Why won’t you help me?” He cried. Bent over slightly, he took the moment to catch his breath. Chest now burning in addition to the ache. “I just want to know where I am.” He said softly. 

He groaned and looked around to where he had come but the corridors had almost seemed to shift, trivializing any efforts to retrace his steps. Damn it. His eyes flickered to the architecture around him. He supposed out of all places to be stuck, it could have been much worse. The castle was unreal. The sun drifted in through the countless windows, basking the passageway in a warm, golden light. The air was hung with a certain brightness, and a light breeze whispered against his neck. Faintly he could hear chirping and the rustle of leaves coaxed into dancing by the wind. Figuring his current path was as good as any, Karl began in the direction of the sound. He gazed in astonishment at his surroundings. “Holy- who built this?” a pregnant pause “why did they build it?” 

He moved to a nearby window and leaned against it as he surveyed the exterior of the building. His eyes studied the numerous flower gardens, kissed with lilac and silver, and the snow-white cherry trees, weeping tears of crystal sap. The floor beneath them was spread with a carpet of petals and he watched as the wind cupped them gently before they fell to the floor once more. Cobbled paths snaked through the courtyard and met in the middle before diverging on their separate ways to some unknown chamber or hall. 

He pushed himself away from the ledge, eyes still lingering on the scene before he turned and continued to walk in the direction of the noise. Eventually, after wandering along the seemingly endless halls, he turned an unassuming corner and was met with a grand courtyard. More corridors bordered its sides and were laced with delicate vines and hydrangeas. The sky above was various shades of pink and purple, which cast a warm light upon everything it touched. Dandelions paraded themselves among the blades of grass, grateful for an onlooker to notice their delicate petals and bright centers. 

A small stream winded through the scenery, gently babbling as it rushed over the smooth stones lining it. A curved footpath extended itself over the brook, inviting Karl to take a rest at the bench that laid just beyond it. Tempted by its beauty, he did so, and slowly stepped his way to the worn cherry wood bench, mindfully avoiding the daisies below. The bench wasn’t pretty by any means, with flecks of white paint that signaled the dilapidation, and the seat was slightly crooked, favoring the left side. Strangely enough, the neglected bench let a sense of calm flood him. The imperfections it held contrasted nicely against the sterile whiteness of the castle, and it was appreciated. He sat down, not minding the way he was leaned slightly to the right on the uneven bench. His eyes began to trace the gnarled tree roots under his shaded feet.

The tree looked over him, blocking the sky above, and reached out its wooded limbs, staking its claim and reaching out till it nearly touched the stream. The trunk stood knotted and cracked, teasing its age. Clear beads of sap strung a chandelier among the branches, amplifying its natural beauty. White cherry blossoms clung to themselves in bunches and created intricate bouquets. The purity of it all stunned Karl, and he felt the tension leave his shoulders as he soaked in the nature around him. A light touch flitted against his side and he looked to find a leather journal, identical to the one he had previously found. 

“Where did that-” he trailed off and shifted to pick up the book, thumbing over the cover once before looking through the text inside. 

You don’t get to choose when you time travel or when you return, but you already know that, and that is something that will remain true.

He flipped the page.

Something that doesn’t need to remain true, however, is your body’s deterioration. 

He felt his stomach drop, and read the line once more.

I know that every time you time travel, you lose more and more understanding of who you are, and this is something that you can solve in the future.

I can guarantee if you explore this castle enough, you will one day know what to do to stop losing yourself and have better control over your mind.

Good luck.

He closed the book, watching as it slid silently against the seat of the bench. He brought both knees up and rested them under his chin, looking back towards the knotted bark.

“I don't get it, why-why me?” 

He lifted his head slightly, motioning with his hands. 

“Why? Why now? Why did you say I’ve been here before? I’m pretty sure I’d remember it if I had.”

He let out a chuckle of disbelief before continuing. He didn’t know who, or what, he was shouting at, but hoped they would care enough to listen to the mild panic that flooded his voice.

“I’ve traveled before and never ended up here. Well, I mean according to you I have but I’ve always been completely fine. My body isn’t deteriorating either you know, I’m the same as I always was. I-” 

He interrupted himself and stared intently at his sleeves The cyan on the left one seemed noticeably faded from what he remembered, and though the light was warm and saturated, his hands still paled. He brought his other hand into view and stared at the indigo pigment as it bled into lavender. He moved his hands to his eyes, rubbing until he saw spots, and plead that his mind was just playing some sick game, jesting at his poor eyesight. He opened them and blinked rapidly, focusing back on the fairness of his hands and sleeves. No difference. No, no, no, no. His chest constricted and his shoulders started to shake. A sinking feeling lodged itself in his stomach, dragging him down along with it. Bundled into himself, he shook as hot tears welled up in his eyes, threatening to make themselves known against his cheeks. He sat with glazed eyes and uneven breaths as the brightness faded from the sky, and fell into an exhaustion driven sleep as stars freckled the sky above.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone, welcome! This is my first work, and I hope you all liked it! I'm using this as a creative outlet but I hope it's something that can still be enjoyed. I'm completely fine with this work being uploaded or translated onto other sites as long as credit is given. :)


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